Described as a major advance in qualitative analysis, these laser-based instruments ablate samples into plasma and perform spectroscopy on the resulting decay spectra for elemental indentification
The elemental composition of soil, biological tissue, ceramics, glass, gemstones, metals and even explosives can be analysed instantly using new spectrometer systems from Ocean Optics, the company says.
The laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (Libs) systems are real-time, high resolution, portable instruments capable of analysing practically every known element in gas, liquid or solid samples with a sensitivity of parts per billion.
Applications for Libs are as diverse as environmental sampling, forensic testing, semiconductor analysis, archaeological research, cancer detection, paper production, blast-furnace monitoring, civil engineering and the detection of landmines, biological weapons and chemical contamination in solids, liquids or gas.
A complete Libs scan can be executed in less than a second, saving time and making it possible to analyse transient samples, says Ocean Optics.
Only trace amounts of a sample are required for analysis, minimising sample preparation.
Libs systems can be used in the laboratory, in the field or remotely, and on any sample geometry.
A single pulse from a high-intensity laser is focused on the sample area, exciting the sample and creating plasma, into which a trace amount of the sample has been ablated.
As the plasma decays, excited elements in it emit light at wavelengths that are distinct to each element.
This light is collected by a probe and sent to a high-resolution, multi-spectrometer system for analysis.
The Libs systems come with intuitive operating software that enables automatic identification of all elements present in the sample.
Other features allow tracking emission intensities over multiple scans and correlation of analysis routines.
Also available are hardware options for rastering and video imaging.